Game apparatus



Amigo 21 ms. 1,681,693

FfW. BECKER GAME APPARATUS Filed Dec. 15, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Aug. 21, 1928.

UNITED STATES.

FRANK W. BECKER, 01E OCEAN PARK, CALIFORNIA.

GAME APPARATUS.

Application filed December 13, 1927. Serial No. 239,789.

struck in a predetermined sequence by ,suitav ble projectiles.

It is a further purpose of my invention to provide a game apparatus of the above described character embodying a game board havingthereon the representation of a baseball field and upon which the targets are mounted at-positions' corresponding to those of the bases on the diamond of the field, one.

of the targets constituting a master target controlling the other targets which are normally locked and are releasable only upon first striking the master target and then striking the other targets in a predetermined .se qnence whereby a highly entertaining game of skill is provided by which onecan practice the pitching of a ball to definite objectives.

1 will describe only one form of game apparatus embodying my invention and will then point out the novel features in claims.

In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a view showing in perspective, one form of game apparatus embodying my invention; I

Fig. '2 is a bottom plan view of the apparatus in normal position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3*?) of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows:

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 2 and illustrating the position occupied by the apparatus in response to the striking of one of the targets embodied therein Fin. 5 is a fra mentary sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6' of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring specifically'to the drawing in which similar reference characters designate similar parts in each of the several views, my

invention in its present embodiment com prises a game board B of square outline having an apron 10 depending from its marginal edge and provided at its corners with legs 11 by means of which the board is adapted to be supported horizontally in an elevated po' sition, and secured in fixed position to the floor or other support in any suitable manner.

The upper surface of the board is intended to represent a baseball field and is provided with demarcations or lines 12 to define a baseball diamond, and at the four corners of the diamond, the board is provided with openings 13 in the form of slots in which targets T, T T and T of identical construction and representing the four bases of the diamond are pivotally mounted by means of hinges 14; having one leaf thereof secured to the rear. side of the targets and the other leaf secured in recesses 15 formed in the upper surface of the board so as to be flush with the surface.

The targets normally occupy the upright position shown in Figs. 1 and 8 wherein their upper portions in the form of heads 16 pro-.

ject above the board and their lower portions in theform of extensions 17 project below the board. The targets are movable to the inclined position shown in Fig. 5 when their heads 16 are struck by a suitable projectile such as for instance a ball 18. Each of the targets is adapted to be releasably retained in inclined position by means of, a

spring latch, in the form of a pair of spring.

arms 19 secured in spaced relation upon the end of the extension 17 and adapted to be expanded for latching engagement with a notchedpin 20. projecting from the underside of the board B.

The target T, which constitutes a master target is free to move to inclined position when struck, Whereas the targets T T and T are normally locked in upright position by means of locking members M M and M respectively, of identical construction and in the present instance in the form of arms pivoted between their ends at 21 on the uncle-1;.

side of theboard B. The arms are normally urged toone position by means of springs 22 forlocking engagement of the extensions 17 of the ltargets 'l T9, and T with notches 23 formed in the arms so as to lock the targets in. upright position.

The lockingmen'ibers M M and M are capable of being actuated and moved to a released position with respect to their corresponding targets only in response to striking of'thetargets in a predeterminedsequence, and to this end I provide an actuating means for each of the locking members which in the present instance COlllpl'lSGS a length of flexible cable opcratively connecting one target with the locking means of another target. By reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that a flexible ill) cable at is connected at oneend to the extension 17 of the master targetT and is trained about a pulley 25 and then connected to one ing the target T for movement to its inclined position when struck. A second flexible cable 26 is connected at one end to the extension 17 ot' the target T and is trained about a pulley 27 for connection to one end ot-the-locking member M so that the latter will be actuated and moved to released position in response to movement of the target T to its inclined position, thus releasing the target T for movement to its inclined position. A third flexible cable 28 is connected atoneend to the extension 17 of the target T and is trained about a pulley 29 for connection to one end of the locking member M so that the latter will be actuated and moved to released position in response to movement of the target T to its inclined, position, thus releasing the target T for movement to its inclined position when struck. 5

It will thus be clear that with the targets and the locking members operatively connected in the manner above described, the targets can be moved to inclined position only when the master target- T is struck first and the targets T T and T struck in'such sequence, thus providing a game which requires skill on the part of the operator to effect the striking down of all of the targets.- I

Following movement of all of the targets to and the consequent latching thereof-in in clined position, the targets can be restored to their normal upright position .by means of a plurality of flexible cables 30, one for each of-and connected at one end to the targets,

the cables being trained over pulleys 31 secured to the apron 10 at the rear end of the board B and extending through a slot 32 in the apron at the forward end of the board for connection to a master cable 33 extending to the point at which the operator is situated so that the operator by exerting a pull 'on the master cable will cause the targets to be simultaneously restored to their normal position. Upon movement of the targets to normal po-' sition the springs 22 move their respective locking members M, M and M into locking engagement with the targets T T and T respectively so that the board is again ready for a succeeding operation of the targets. 7

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of game apparatus embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims. V

I claim:

1. In a game apparatus, a pair of movably supported targets normally occupying one positionand movable to a second position when struck, means normally locking one of the targets in normal position and being mounted for movement to a released position with respect; to said target to permit the latter to move to its second position when struck, and means'for actuating the locking means, operable in response to movement of the other target to its second position to move the locking means to released position, whereby the corresponding target will be released for movement to its second position when struck,

2. In a game apparatus, a pair of movably supported targets normally occupying one'position and movable to a second position when struck, one of said targets constituting a master target and being free to move to its second position, means for locking the other target in normal position and being mounted for movement to a released positionto allow said other target to move to its second position when struck, and means'operatively connecting the locking means and master target, re-

sponsive to movement of the latter to-its'secend position, to actuate and move thelocking' means to released position, whereby said other target will be released for movement to its second position. v I

3. The'combination embodied in claim 2 including means for latching the targets in their second position, and means for restoring the targets to normal position.

4. The combination embodied in claim 2 including spring latches for releasably holding the targets in their second position, and manually operable means common to both targets for simultaneously restoring the targets to normal position.

-5. In a game apparatus, a pair of pivotally mounted targets normally occupying one position and movable to a second position when struck, one of said targets constituting a master target and being free to move to its second position, pivoted locking membeiunormally urged to one position for locking. engagement with the other target to lock the latter in nor mal position, and movable to another position to release the target, and a flexible cable connecting the lockingmember and master target, operable in response to movement of the latter to its second position to actuate and move the locking member to its releasing position, whereby said other target will be released for movement to when struck.

' 6. In a game apparatus, a plurality of movably supported targets normally occupying one position and movable to a second position when struck, locking means for each of the targets normally locking thetargets in normal position and mounted for movement to a released position with respect to thetargets to render the. latter free to move to their second position, a master target mounted for its second position movement to normally occupyone position and free to move to a second position when struck, means operable in response to move gets in'a predetermined sequence in order to operate the locking means, whereby the targets are releasable only in said predetermined sequence.

7. In a game apparatus, a plurality of mov ably supported targets normally occupying one position and movableeto a second position when struck, locking means for each of the targets normally locking the targets in normal position and mounted for movement to a released position with respect to the. targets to render the latter free to moveto their second position, a master target mounted for movement to normally occupy one position and free to move to a second'position when struck, means operable in response to movement of the master target to its second position to actuate and move the locking means for one of the plurality of targets to its released position, and actuating means for each of the other locking means operatively connecting the latter with the plurality of targets in a manner to actuate and move the locking means to released position in response to striking of the plurality of targets in a predetermined sequence, whereby the targets will be released in said predetermined sequence for movement to their second position.

8. In a game apparatus, a plurality of movably supported targets normally occupying one position and movable to a second position when struck, locking means for each of the targets normally locking the targets in normal position, and mounted for movement to a released position with respect to the targets to render the latter free to move to their second position, a master target mounted for movement .to normally occupy one positlon and free to move to a second position when.

struck, means operable in response to movement of the master target to its second position to actuate and move the locking means 9. A game apparatus comprising a game board having a plurality of openings there through, targets mounted for pivotal movement in the openings, said targets normally occupying a substantially upright position whereinthey project above and below the game board, and movable to a. second position when the. portion projecting above the board is struck, oneof said targets constituting a master target and being free to move to its second position when struck, locking members one for each of the other targets, pivotally mounted on the underside of the board,- means, one for each of and normally urging the locking members to one position for locking engagement with said other targets to lock the latter in normal position, and actuat-ing means, one for each of the locking means and operatively connecting one target with the locking means of another target in the manner and for the purpose described.

10. A game apparatus as embodied in claim 9 including means for latching the targets in their second position, and means for restoring the targets to normal position.

11. A game apparatus as embodied in claim 9 wherein each ofthe targets is provided with spring arms, and pins are secured to the board and are adapted to be engaged by the spring I arms to releasably retain the targets in their second position.

12. A game apparatus as embodied in claim 9 including means for latching the targets in their second position, .and manually operable means for restoring the targets to normal position comprising a master cable, and branch cables connected to the master cable and to the portion of the targets projecting below the board.

13. A game apparatus as embodied in claim 9 wherein the board is provided with demarcations to represent a baseball diamond, and said openings are disposed at the corners of the representation of the diamond. 14. A game apparatus comprising a game board having the representation of a base-- ball field thereon, targets mounted for move ment on the board at points corresponding to the bases of the field, to normally occupy one position and movable to a second position when struck, one of said targets constituting amaster target and being free to move to its second position when struck, means for looking the other targets in normal position, and means for actuating the locking means to release the targets for movement to their second position when struck, operatively associated with the targets and locking means in such manner that the targets can be released only by first striking the master target and then the other targets in a predetermined sequence.

Signed at Los Angeles in the county of Los Angeles and State of California this 30th day of November, A. D. 1927.

FRANK W. BECKER.

ion 

